BRIDGE 

ABRIDGED 



BY 

BESSIE DICKINSON 

ASSOCIATE MEMBER AMERICAN WHIST LEAGUE 
RECORDING SECRETARY NEW YORK STATE WHIST ASSOCIATION 
AUTHOR OF THE CONVERSATION OF THE CARDS 



Price 25 Cents 



REVISED EDITION 
SYRACUSE, N. Y. 



MB i§ 1905 




THIS primer contains an outline of the justly 
popular game of BRIDGE, drawn in clear 
lines that are followed easily by inexperienced 
players. The essential points are presented with 
illustrations calculated to fix them in the mind. 
It is purposely simple in form and in treatment. 
It will prepare the beginner for more elaborate 
and exhaustive treatises which, being intended also 
for advanced players, are sometimes too intricate for 
a first acquaintance with the game. They are fin- 
ished Bridge work ; this is a plank on which to 
cross quickly from ignorance to familiarity. 



COPYRIGHTED I905 BY THE AUTHOR 



CHAPTER 1. BRIDGE is played with fifty-two cards, the order 
The Form o! being as in Whist, A K Q J lo 9, etc. The 
the Game game is played usually by four persons, although 
three may play.^ Five or six may form a table, 
in which case the players cut to decide the first table, and cut 
in and out at the end of a rubber, as in Whist. All having 
drawn cards from a pack spread face down on the table, the 
lowest four enter the first game. 

Illustration — Six persons draw K107642; 7642, 
being the lowest, form the table. They then draw for partners 
] ^ 7 3 '9 ] ^ against 7 and 3 ; 3, as the lowest, deals. 
At the end of the rubber (when one side has won two out of 
three games) the four players draw K 9 8 A ; K and 9 drop 
out, the second table being formed of 8 A and the two persons 
who were out of the first game. Ace is low in cutting. 

The players are termed the Dealer, the Leader, or Eldest 
Hand (the Dealer's left-hand adversary), the Dummy (the 
Dealer's partner), and the Pone (the Dealer's right hand 
adversary). 

Dummy- 



Leader 



Pone 



Dealer 

Two packs of cards should be used, one being shufiled by 
the Dummy, who then places it at his right hand, while the 
other, having been cut by the Pone, is dealt by the Dealer, 
one at a time, beginning with his left-hand adversary, until all 
are given out. No trump is turned. 

The Dealer then studies his hand and declares a trump, or 
no-trump, or passes the make to his partner, being influenced by 
the value of his cards and their distribution into suits. 



* See page 8 for rules governing the game for three persons. 



The partner is obliged to declare a trump or no-trump. 

The Leader then determines whether his cards warrant 
defensive or offensive play ; if he is exceptionally strong he 

goes over,'* the value of each trick being then doubled ; if not, 
he offers his partner the same privilege by saying, ^' May I 
lead?" If he thoughtlessly plays without asking permission, 
his partner may double only if the maker of the trump consents. 

When the Dealer cannot declare on his own holding, the 
usual fo^rm of expression is as follows : 

Dealer — Please make it. Partner." 

Dummy. — make it ." 

Leader — May I lead. Partner ? " 

Pone — You may," or, If you please." 

Or 

Dealer — Please make it. Partner." 
Dummy — I make it ." 

Leader — ^^I go over," (doubling the value of each trick). 

Dummy — I go back," or, I re-double," (again doubling, 
making four times the original value). 

Whenever the value of each trick exceeds loo points the 
doubling shall cease if any player objects. 

The order of doubling is as follows : After the trump 
declaration has been made, the Leader has the first right to 
double ; if he waives the privilege, the Pone may then double ; 
after him, the player who declared the trump may go back ;" 
if, however, he says Enough," his partner may then ^^go 
back," if he wishes ; if either the Dealer or his partner goes 
back, the player who first doubled has the next say. This con- 
tinues until both opponents have said Enough." 

Illustration : 

Dealer — Please make it. Partner." 

Dummy — *^I make it ." 

Leader — I go over." 
Dummy — I go back." 
Leader — Enough." 
Pone — I go back." 
Dummy — Enough." 
Dealer — Enough." 

Each trick has now eight times its original value, but the 
honor score is unchanged by doubling. 

It makes no difference whether the trump is declared by 
Dealer or Dummy, the adversary at the Dealer's left is the first 



4 



to speak, and, after the doubling has been waived or has taken 
place, the lead must come from him. Inexperienced players 
sometimes think that when Dummy makes the trump, the adver- 
sary at his left becomes the leader, but this is an error, as nothing 
can change the original precedence. 

Each player should be careful to use invariably the same form 
of expression when passing the make, or waiving the right to 
double, as any deviation might convey some impressicii of his 
holding. 

The preliminaries being settled, the Leader now opens his 
hand by laying down a card ; immediately the Dummy^ spreads 
his hand face up on the table, sorted in suit and in sequence, 
the trumps at his right, and the smallest cards lying nearest the 
Dealer, who must play them without any assistance from his 
partner. Dummy may not touch a card on any pretext but, 
having placed them conveniently, may participate in the play of 
the deal ONLY to this extent : If the dealer renounces to any 
suit, he may say at once, No suit, Partner ? " in order to save 
a revoke ; he may correct the claim of either adversary to a pen- 
alty to which the latter is not entitled ; he may call his partner's 
attention to the fact that the trick has not been completed ; other- 
wise his only privilege is to think how much better he could play 
his hand than his partner is playing it. 

The form of the game is like Whist. You must follow suit 
if you can, but if not, may either trump or discard. Each trick 
consists of four cards, one from each player. The object is to 
win as many tricks as possible on each deal, and to win two 
games before the adversary can do so. The game is thirty 
trick points. The honor score does not count toward the game, 
but affects the value of the rubber. The deal goes to each 
player in turn, the person at the left of the original Dealer being 
the next one to deal. Each person is thus Dealer, Pone, 
Dummy and Leader. The tricks are gathered as in straight 
(not duplicate) Whist, six constitute a book, and only those 
above six count toward the game. 

The side that first wins two games wins the rubber. 



* Dummy's cards should be arranged so he can spread them quickly and 
without fumbling 5 familiarity with the game is detected at once by the dex- 
terity with which this is done. 



5 



HOW TO SCORE 

When there is NO TRUMP each trick above six counts 12 

Three aces between partners count . 30 

Four aces between partners count 40 

Four aces in one hand count 100 

When HEARTS are trump each trick above six counts . 8 

Three (simple) honors count . . . . . . . . 16 

Four honors count 32 

Five honors count 40 

Four honors in one hand count 64 

Four honors in one hand, fifth in partner's, count . . . 72 

Five honors in one hand count 80 

When DIAMONDS are trump each trick above six counts 6 

Three honors count 12 

Four honors count 24 

Five honors count 30 

Four honors in one hand count 48 

Four honors in one hand, fifth in partner's, count . . . 54 

Five honors in one hand count 60 

When CLUBS are trump each trick above six counts . . 4 

Three honors count c 8 

Four honors count 16 

Five honors count 20 

Four honors in one hand count 32 

Four honors in one hand, fifth in partner's, count . . . 36 

Five honors in one hand count ........ 40 

When SPADES are trump each trick above six counts . 2 

Three honors count 4 

Four honors count 8 

Five honors count 10 

Four honors in one hand count . , 16 

Four honors in one hand, fifth in partner's, count . . . 18 

Five honors in one hand count 20 

A, K, Q, J, 10, are honors. 

SUMMARY 

WHEN THERE IS NO TRUMP 

Each trick above six counts 12 

Three aces between partners count 30 

Four aces between partners count 40 

Four aces in one hand count 1 00 

6 



WHEN TRUMPS ARE 


S 


C 


D 


H 






4 


6 


8 




. . 4 


8 


1 2 


16 




. . 8 


i6 


24 


32 






20 


30 


40 


Four honors in one hand count . 


. . i6 


32 


48 


64 


Four honors in one hand, fifth in partner' s 


, count 1 8 


36 


54 


72 


X^IVC IlUllUio 111 UllC llallU. UUUIIL • ■ 


. 20 


40 




fin 


Winning twelve tricks constitutes 


a Little Slam, 


and 


adds 


twenty to the honor score. 










Winning thirteen tricks constitutes 


a Grand SI 


am. 


and 


adds 



forty to the honor score. 

When, with a trump declaration, a player holds no trump, it 
is called CHICANE ; this adds to his partner's honor score, or 
reduces the adversaries' by the amount of simple honors. 

The winners of the rubber game add one hundred to their 
honor score. 

ILLUSTRATION OF A SCORE SHEET 




First 

Game 

Second 

Game 

Rubber 

Game 



SCORE 


SHEET 


HONORS 


WE 


THEY 


32 




100 


16 


12 


40 


16 


30 


24 TRI 


CKS 


12 


12 




36 


12 


8 


24 




232 


142 


100 




332 




142 




190 





EXPLANATION 



On the first deal *'WE" won three tricks and simple 
honors at hearts ; on the second THEY " won one trick and 



7 



thirty aces at no-trump ; on the third WE " won two tricks, 
simple honors and the game at diamonds. THEY " then won 
three tricks, forty aces at no-trump and the second game. On 
the rubber game WE " won one trick, and one hunderd aces 
at no-trump ; THEY " won one trick and simple honors at 
hearts ; WE " v/on three tricks, four honors at hearts, game 
and rubber. The total THEY " made is subtracted from 
the total WE" made, to which has been added a bonus of 
one hundred for winning the rubber, and the result determines 
the value of the rubber. 

Too much cannot be said about the necessity of giving no 
intimation of one's holding through words or manner. To 
avoid this, a set form should be used invariably ; do not say 

Please make it. Partner," sometimes, and It's up to you. 
Partner," at others, because to vary the form of expression 
might give rise to the suspicion that some information was con- 
veyed to the Dealer's partner in that manner. The etiquette 
of games that are played for stakes is far stricter than of those 
that are not, and, while Bridge is too fascinating a game to need 
the added zest of a wager (not to enter upon the moral side of 
the question), the fact that it is accompanied frequently by one 
should make all players scrupulously careful in forming correct 
habits. 

RULES FOR THREE-HANDED BRIDGE 

When three persons play Bridge, the lowest cut has the 
Dummy partner during the entire game or rubber. 

If the Dealer passes the make. Dummy is obliged to declare 
his longest suit trump, or, if he has three or four aces, he must 
declare no-trump. If he holds suits of equal length, he must 
choose the one that makes the higher number when the spots are 
added (aces count eleven, K, Q or J count ten each); in case 
they still equal, he must make it the suit of greater trick-taking 
value. 

The Dealer may not double if he has seen both his own and 
Dummy's hands. 

Dummy's hand is not exposed until the prehminaries are con- 
cluded and a card led. 

When Dummy is the Leader, his partner must lead from 
Dummy's hand before seeing his own, and Dummy may double, 
but he may not. 



8 



CHAPTER II. Inexperience shows very quickly in the make. 
The Make but as there are standards by which the majority 
of hands may be measured, there is no excuse for 
long continued ignorance. 

No beginner should expect to understand how materially the 
make is influenced by the score, but should be satisfied at first to 
learn to make on his holding, irrespective of the state of the 
game. It is a good plan to deal many hands, pick up each one, 
and determine the make by comparison with acknowledged 
standards. After it has become easy to recognize the makes in 
this way, imagine the score at a certain stage, and decide if your 
make would be affected by it. 

STANDARD FOR NO-TRUMPER 

Four aces, irrespective of other holding. 

Three aces, unless the honor score in either of the red suits 
would give a better score. 

Two aces, and protection in a third suit. 

One ace, only when exceptionally strong in all suits, but with 
no combination that would give a good honor score or promise 
more certain success with a trump. 

STANDARD FOR HEART MAKE 

Any seven hearts. 

Usually with any six hearts, especially when holding short 
suits. 

Five hearts, including two honors and a trick in another suit. 

Four hearts, including three honors and two tricks in other 
suits or an established suit. 

The honor score in hearts is a serious consideration. 

When hesitating between hearts and no-trump, usually decide 
in favor of the heart make. 

STANDARD FOR DIAMOND MAKE 

Six diamonds, including one honor and one trick in another 
suit. 

Five diamonds, including three honors. 

Five diamonds, including two honors and protection in two 
other suits. 

9 



STANDARD FOR CLUB MAKE 



Five clubs, including four honors. 

(The game should be two-thirds won to justify an original 
club make). 

STANDARD FOR SPADE MAKE 

Nine spades, including four or five honors. 

Sometimes, when holding a worthless hand, the Dealer may- 
declare spades in order to keep his partner from a make that 
might prove a heavier loser. This situation, however, seldom 
arises. (Diamond, Club, and Spade, makes are so much more 
dependent on the score, that it is difficult to set a standard, but 
the above will assist the beginner until his judgment has been 
developed by experience with strong players. It is almost never 
right to declare an original Club make). 

Unless the Dealer can declare no-trump or hearts, he rarely 
makes, except when playing to the score, preferring to leave it 
to his partner, who may have a fine hand, that will be rendered 
less strong by the Dealer's choice of an inferior trump. He 
should, hov^ever, make to the full limit of his holding, counting 
on Dummy to win one-third as many tricks as he can win in his 
own hand. Timidity should be avoided as earnestly as rashness ; 
with poor hands the make should be conservative, but with good 
ones it should be aggressive. 

PASSED MAKES 

The Dummy, when deciding on the make, is influenced by 
the fact that the Dealer has refused the privilege, an acknowl- 
edgment of weakness. This does not mean that he holds no 
good cards, but that those he may hold are not distributed in 
a manner to warrant the declaration of hearts or no-trump, and 
that he is likely to be stronger in black suits than in red. 

Dummy may be obliged to make on a holding far inferior 
to the Dealer's, and should, as a rule, be conservative. The 
score influences him even more than it does the Dealer. When 
he cannot see a probability of getting the odd trick, he should 
choose spades in order, if he loses, to lose as little as possible. 
A club make doubled brings a loss as heavy as when hearts are 
trump, so if Dummy is hesitating between the black suits he 
should choose spades unless the clubs contain at least two good 
honors in a suit of four, and the spades are very weak. 

10 



The standard for original heart makes may be used by- 
Dummy, except that he requires surer defense either in hearts 
or in outside suits, because the Dealer denies red strength by 
passing. 

The beginner should resist the temptation to take long chances 
in the make, but should force himself, in spite of the frequency 
with which he will be tempted, to be conservative. Some 
temperaments delight in flyers," and their possessors have 
such convenient memories that they do not recall the number of 
times that the flyers" prove to be headers," leading down 
into the depths of indefensible defeat. 

The above is simply an outline that must be filled in by ex- 
perience when judgment has been developed, by practice with 
strong players and by intelligent observation. 



The spade make being a last resort, the maker is not neces- 
sarily strong in the trump suit, and an adversary may sometimes 
double, with good all-round strength, even if holding few spades. 
This is not true of any other make, as, to declare clubs, 
diamonds, or hearts, the maker must be really strong in the trump 
suit. 

You may double spades with four tricks in your hand ; clubs, 
diamonds, or hearts, with five sure and six possible tricks, but 
no-trump should not be doubled unless you see the book in your 
hand and a chance for the odd trick. 



DOUBLING 




U 



LcfC, 



CHAPTER III When there is no trump, your long suit is. 
Leads Against naturally, in no danger of being cut up by 
N - T r u m p ruffing, so, unless it is already established, the 
Makes chances of bringing it in will be increased by 

opening it with a low card. When leading low 
always begin with the fourth best ; this will help your partner 
to estimate the strength of your suit. 

The ELEVEN RULE is a valuable adjunct to fourth best 
leads. When a fourth best is led, substract its face value from 
eleven, and the result will show how many cards lie OUTSIDE 
the leader's hand higher than the one led. Illustration : 8 is led, 
8 from 1 1 leaves 3 ; there are three cards outside the leader' s 
hand higher than the one led. This is valuable in showing 
when a suit is established. 



ACE IS LED FROM < 



KING IS LED FROM-( 



QUEEN IS LED FROM 



^ A Q J, etc., with a re-entry card. 
A X X X X X X X.H^ 
A Q X X X X X. 
1^ A J X X X X X. 

A K Q, etc. 
A K J, etc. 

A K 10 X X X with a re-entry card. 
A K X X X X X. 
K Q J, etc. 
K Q X X X X X. 

Q J 10, etc. 
Qj9/etc. 

A Q J, etc., with no re-entry card. 



JACK IS LED FROM ^ J I O 9, CtC. 
TEN IS LED FROM <{ K J I O, etC. 



From all other combinations lead fourth best. 
Always open your longest suit against a no-trump make. 



^"X means any card lower than K. 



IS 



CHAPTER IV The situation is quite diiFerent when a trump 
Leads Against been declared, for now trump strength is, 
a Declared presumably, greatly against you, and you cannot 
Trump expect to bring in your long suits ; for that 

reason high cards are more often led. It is ad- 
vantageous to keep the lead until you have seen Dummy's hand 
as it may change your whole scheme of play. This may be 
done by opening with an ace from A K X or similar holding, 
even if you eventually play for another suit. The opening lead 
against a trump declaration does not necessarily show your long 
suit, but only the best opening in the hand. 



fAXXX ^ 
lAQJX I 



LEAD ACE FROM ^^QXXXf'^^ HlOrC. 

Ujxx J 

LEAD KING FROM "| ^ Q J Y With or without others. 

Uq J 

LEAD QUEEN FROM | Q j | With or without Others. 

LEAD TEN FROM ^ K J I o, ^ With or wlthout othcrs. 

From all other combinations lead fourth best. 

The best opening is K from A K ; the second best is K, from 
K Q ; the third best is A from a suit headed by A that contains 
no tenace. 



Id 



CHAPTER V Only the simplest strategy will be suggested 
Suggestions li^re. If the student wishes more than a well- 
o! Strategy ^^^^ foundation for his game, he must read addi- 
tional books that go into detail and present ample 
illustrations to support the theories and principles advanced. 

Bridge, hke Whist, is essentially a partnership game. The 
Leader and the Pone have the very pretty problem set them of 
combining and matching their unknown forces against the 
Dealer, who knows absolutely with what weapons he is to at- 
tempt their downfall. It follows naturally that false-carding is 
almost exclusively the province of the Dealer, as the adversaries 
should be careful not to deceive each other, when their defense 
lies in the best combination of their cards. The Leader, unless 
he has a strong suit of his own, should play through Dummy's* 
strength, but not when it consists of established suits ; while the 
Pone should play up to J his weakness. If Dummy has a long 
suit, they should try to strip his hand of re-entry cards before 
that suit is cleared. The open hand at Bridge teaches the value 
of re-entries very forcibly and relentless opponents delight in 
taking them away early in the deal. In fact. Dummy's life is 
not a happy one with a keen adversary on either side ever watch- 
ful to undermine his strength, and to show no mercy to 
his weakness, and his condition would be sad indeed, if his 
Partner were not his stanch friend, quick to nurse his tenaces 
and to give him supporting cards and opportunities to finesse. 

One of the first requisites in Bridge strategy is the subordina- 
tion of the short suit to Partner's longer one. 

Illustration — Dummy holds J 8 5 ; you hold A Q 1043 
in the same suit ; the lead must be J from Dummy's hand, 
which must be finessed. If the finesse wins, the K is marked 
in the Pone's hand and the lead must come through it until it is 
captured. 



*Make Dummy second-hand in his strong suits. 
I Make Dummy fourth-hand in his weak suits. 

U 



OPEN WITH dummy's HIGHEST CARD WHEN 



He holds 



and 



You hold 



A lo X 



K J X 
K X X 



KJXXX 
A X X X 



Q J X 
Q X X 

QX 

J X X 
J X 



loX X 



K X 



Q J X X X 
A J X X X 
AXXX X 

A J X X 
A loXX X 

A Q X X 
AioXX X 

K J XX 



If it wins, continue with his next highest, which will often 
give you a finesse. 



Finessing wins a great many tricks when it is successful, but 
as in inexperienced hands it is an element of danger, the novice 
will do well to finesse ONLY against ONE missing card until 
he has learned to place the unplayed cards. In the table given 
above, all finesses are against ONE card ONLY, except the 
ninth, where J is led and you, holding A i o XXX, finesse against 
both K and Q, hoping to catch one on the second finesse. 

The Pone should never finesse against his partner ; for ex- 
ample, if he holds A Q, etc., in the suit, his partner opens with 
a low card, he must not finesse the Q unless K lies in Dummy's 
hand, but should play A. 



There are three discards used by Bridge players, each having 
its advantages and its adherents. 

These rules apply to the first discard only, as the fall 
OF the cards regulates later discards. 

(1) Discard always from strength. This is the safest 
discard for beginners, for, while it may occasionally cost a trick 
in the long suit, it will protect high cards in the short suits far 
more often. 

(2) Discard always from weakness. This is the most 
popular discard, but it is open to the^ objection that there are 



FINESSING 



DISCARDING 



15 



many situations in which it will be impossible to follow the rule 
because of unguarding a stopper in an adversary's suit. 

(3) Discard from strength on a trump declaration and 
FROM WEAKNESS (protecting honors, however, in the short suits) 
ON A NO-TRUMP. This is the most logical discard, as, with 
trumps against you at Bridge, you cannot expect to bring in a 
very long suit, but with no-trump it is sometimes possible to 
do so. 

Since the trump signal is never used in Bridge, its form (an 
unnecessarily high card followed by a lower one) is given these 
meanings : ( i ) When used in a discard it shows strength in the 
suit, and is valuable when the discard is usually from weakness. 
Illustration — Your long suit is hearts, and you wish to discard 
from weakness, but cannot do so without unguarding an honor ; 
if you throw first a higher, then a lower heart, it will show that 
to be your suit. (2) When following suit to high cards, if a 
higher card is succeeded by a lower one, it means no more of 
the suit. This is used also by many players to show that they 
can win the third round of the suit either with the master card 
or by ruffing. This is the Street attachment familiar to Whist 
players. 

Illustration — You hold Q 4 2; K is led, play 4; A is led, 
play 2 ; you have shown that you can win the third round, 
(2) You hold 8 3, play 8 on the first round, 3 on the second; 
you are ready to ruff. 

forcing 

Leader and Pone force each other to trump far more freely 
than in Whist, as a trump declaration usually means a decided 
preponderance of trumps and they are glad to ruff with the 
few they may have. If, however, you (the adversary) and 
Dummy are both weak in trumps, you should be careful not to 
force your partner, unless he invites it, because he may hold de- 
fense in tramps that might be destroyed by a force. 

Don't force the weak adversary to trump. 

Forcing the strong adversary is often not so effectual as in 
Whist, because he usually has so many trumps that he can 
afford a ruff. 

Don't force the strong hand if the weak hand has trumps 
too, as the former may take the force, lead his long suit, let his 
partner discard on it and get in position to ruff another suit. 



16 



SHOWING NUMBER AND UNBLOCKING 



It is difficult to over-estimate the value of showing number 
and unblocking, and the assistance these conventions give part- 
ners in reading the cards. 

Whenever you have more than three cards in your partner's 
suit, you should hold up the lowest until the last round. 

Illustration — Holding J 8 4 2, play 4 then 8 on Partner's 
K and A, holding up 2, which he will miss and read you with 
four cards. Or, Partner leads 6, you hold Q 7 5 3 ; play Q, 
which loses to the adversary's K ; on the second round of the 



suit when playing low, play 5, then 7, holding up 3. Be con- 
stantly alert to recognize the necessity for unblocking in situations 
that cannot be covered by rules. 

UNBLOCKING AT NO-TRUMP 

When Partner leads and you hold play 

A KQX Q 

A K X K 

A QJX J 

K AX A 

K Q J X J 

Q K X K 

J KQX Q 



MISCELLANEOUS 

As soon as possible learn to play to the score. On the rubber 
game, with the adversary at 28, you may sometimes save the 
game by taking a deep finesse that would not be justifiable at 
another stage, on the principle that if it loses you were lost 
before, while if it wins you save the rubber. This might occur 
when you needed one trick more than was probable in order to 
win, in which case the finesse would be obligatory. 

Position should be played for in Bridge, not only on each 
trick, but in relation to the score. At certain stages of the 
game a make might be very bad, that would be good at others. 
Don't risk a doubtful no-trump or heart make if you need only 
two points to win the game. Illustration: — When you are 14 
to 20, make it hearts rather than diamonds, your suits being 
equal, because two tricks in hearts will take you out, while 
three in diamonds are necessary, but the adversary would go 
out with two tricks in either suit. When you are 18 to 22 make 



17 



it diamonds with similar holding, because the adversary would 
go out on one heart trick. With a game in and o to 24 against 
you, it is better to make a small score with a black trump than 
to run the risk of the adversary going out on your deal. But 
when the score is o to 24 against you on the rubber game, you 
should often make it no-trump with cards not strong enough to 
justify the make at an earlier stage of the score. 

Don't let the adversaries win the game on your deal. This 
would give them a great advantage, because they would begin 
the second game on their own deal and would probably win the 
rubber. 

If the Pone doubles a no-trumper the Leader must open with 
his best heart. 

When leading up to Dummy's weak suits, lead a card higher 
than his best when you can do so without endangering your own 
holding. This will save your partner's high cards, or may ruin 
the Dealer's holding by forcing him to cover. 

Always open your longest suit against a no-trump make. The 
high cards in your shorter suits are valuable as re-entries and to 
block the Dealer's suit. 

Second, third and fourth hand (except when Dealer), play 
the lowest of sequences, /. A K X, K Q J, Q J 10, K Q, 
Q J, etc. ; play the lowest card. The Dealer should play the 
highest in order to deceive his adversaries. 

Protection in a suit means one sure trick. 

Singletons are often led initially against a trump make if weak 
in trumps and with no A K opening. 

Leading trumps and bringing in a long suit is a stronger game 
than ruffing. The former is aggressive, the latter merely de- 
fensive. 

If strong enough to lead trumps, let your weaker partner ruff 
if he is short in a suit, before you draw the adversaries' trumps. 
Don't carry home aces. 

Return Partner's initial lead at no-trump. When returning, 
lead your highest card. This helps him read the Dealer's hold- 
ing. 

There is no mis-deal at Bridge. 

There are two objects ; first to win and second to keep the 
adversaries from winning. 

When you are ahead play conservatively. If you have won 
the first game do not take long chances on the second. 

IS 



When hesitating between opening a red or a black suit, choose 
the former if the make was passed, as the Dealer is likely to be 
weak in red suits when he passes. 

When Dummy's cards are spread on the table the Dealer 
should at once notice the honor score of the combined hands. 

Exact all penalties. 

By agreement before the game begins all passed spade makes 
that are not doubled may be thrown out, the Dealer scoring the 
odd trick and the honors being scored as held, unless either side 
has scored 20 or more, in which case the deal must be played. 

When the Pone doubles a passed trump make, the Leader 
should keep the lead if possible until Dummy's cards are spread 
on the table ; he can judge then if he should lead a trump 
through Dummy's strength up to the Dealer's probable weak- 
ness. 

If the Dealer leads from his own or his partner's hand a card 
high enough to finesse, the second hand player should cover the 
lead when he holds a sequence or one high card once guarded, in 
order to cost the Dealer two high cards on one trick. 



PENALTIES MOST FREQUENTLY ENFORCED 

EXPOSING CARDS DURING PLAY 

There is no penalty for the Dealer's exposed cards. 

Should the Dealer, however, name a card to be played either 
from his own or Dummy's hand, such card cannot be recalled 
except to save a revoke. 

All cards exposed by the Dealer's adversaries are liable to be 
called, and such cards must be left face up on the table. 

The following are exposed cards : 

1, Two or more cards played at once. 

2, Any card dropped with the face upward, or in any way 
exposed on or above the table, even though snatched up so 
quickly that no one can name it. 

3, Every card so held by a player that his partner can see 
any portion of its face. 

A card dropped on the floor or elsewhere below the table is 
not an exposed card. 



19 



LEADS OUT OF TURN 



If either of the Dealer's adversaries lead out of turn, the Dealer 
may either call the card erroneously led, or may call a suit from 
him or his partner when it is next the turn of either of them to 
lead. 

If the Dealer leads out of turn, either from his own or 
Dummy's hand, he incurs no penalty ; but he may not rectify 
the error after the second hand has played. 

In no case can a player be compelled to play a card which 
would oblige him to revoke. 

The call of a card may be repeated at every trick, until the 
card can be legitmately played. 

If a player called on to lead a suit have none of it, the pen- 
alty is paid. 

THE REVOKE 

Should a player (other than Dummy) holding one or more 
cards of a suit led, play a card of a different suit, he revokes. 

Three tricks taken from the revoking player and added to the 
adversaries, shall be the penalty for a revoke. 

The penalty is applicable only to the score of the game in 
which it occurs. 

Under no circumstances can the revoking side secure game, 
slam, or little slam that hand. Whatever their previous score 
may have been, the side revoking cannot secure a higher score 
toward game than twenty-eight. 

A revoke is established if the trick in which it occurs be turned 
and quitted, /. the hand removed from the trick after it has 
been gathered and placed face downward on the table, or if the 
revoking player or his partner, whether in his right turn or other- 
wise, has led or played to the following trick. 

A player may ask his partner if he has not a card of the suit 
which he has renounced ; should the question be asked before 
the trick is turned and quitted, subsequent turning and quitting 
does not establish a revoke, and the error may be corrected un- 
less the revoking player or his partner has led or played to the 
following trick. 

If a player correct his mistake in time to save a revoke, any 
player or players who have followed him may withdraw their 
cards and substitute others, and the cards so withdrawn are not 
exposed cards. If the player in fault be one of the Dealer's ad- 

20 



versaries, the card played in error is an exposed card, and the 
Dealer can call it whenever he pleases ; or he may require the 
offender to play his highest or lowest card of the suit to the trick 
in which he has renounced ; but this penalty cannot be exacted 
from the Dealer. 

At the end of a hand the claimants of a revoke may search 
all tricks. If the cards have been mixed the claim may be urged 
and proved if possible, but no proof is necessary, and the revoke 
is estabHshed if, after it has been claimed, the accused player or 
his partner mix the cards before they have been sufficiently ex- 
amined by the adversaries. A revoke must be claimed before 
the cards have been cut for the following deal. 

Should the players on both sides subject themselves to the re- 
voke penalty, neither can win the game by that hand ; each is 
punished at the discretion of his adversaries. 

The revoke penalty may be claimed for as many revokes as 
occur during a deal, but the accumulated penalty shall in no 
event exceed the maximum number of tricks obtainable in any 
one hand. 




SI 



NOTES 



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